Adjust Your Bike Fit & Suspension
Ensuring that your bike is properly fit to you is an important step in preparing for your first ride. Your Authorized Specialized Retailer will be able to provide a basic fit so that you are able to ride comfortably and efficiently. Specialized also offers Retül Fit, a data-driven bicycle fitting tool designed to improve comfort, prevent injury, and increase performance.
Adjust saddle height
When adjusting the saddle height or installing an aftermarket dropper post, it is important to ensure the insertion depth is within the acceptable range.
| Size | Minimum Insertion | Maximum Insertion |
|---|---|---|
| S1 | 80 mm | 180 mm |
| S2 | 180 mm | |
| S3 | 200 mm | |
| S4 | 220 mm | |
| S5 | 240 mm | |
| S6 | 260 mm |
All models use a 34.9 mm seat post and a 38.6 mm seat collar. The S-Works Levo SL has a shim to fit the supplied 30.9 mm seatpost. Torque the seat collar bolt to 6.2 Nm / 55 in-lbf.
Adjust the reach
If your bike is the correct size, you should be able to comfortably reach the handlebars with your elbows slightly bent. Your bike saddle can move back and forth on the rails–start with it centered and fine tune as needed. A professional bike fitter will set this position to line up your knee with the pedal axle. You can also adjust your reach by raising or lowering your handlebar height, and by increasing or decreasing the length of your bike stem.
Set up the suspension
Proper suspension setup is crucial for achieving the best ride experience on a full suspension bike.
Set air shock pressure and sag
- Set the shock compression lever or knob (blue) to the full open or off position, and set the rebound knob to the middle of the click range.
- Attach a high-pressure shock pump to the air valve and set your shock pressure based on your weight.
- To check the sag, push the o-ring against the seal, then mount the bicycle while propped up against a wall. Sit in the saddle in a normal riding position, without bouncing. Do not set sag while riding!
- When the pressure is correctly set, the o-ring will move about 30% of the shock stroke distance (13.75 mm) after the rider's weight has been applied to the bike with no bounce.
Set rebound
Rebound damping (red knob) controls how quickly the shock returns after a compression. The rear shock has a range of rebound clicks to fine-tune the rebound return rate.
- Start with the rebound set in the middle of the click range.
- Turn clockwise for slower rebound (heavier riders, slower speed, bigger hits).
- Turn counter-clockwise for faster rebound (lighter riders, faster speed, smaller bumps, and greater traction).